Government representatives from the state of Chiapas study the experience of Costa Rica and CATIE to strengthen the coffee value chain

• The visit focused on strengthening knowledge and technical capabilities in innovation, production, and quality assurance processes.

For three days, a delegation from the Ministry of Economy and Labor of the State of Chiapas, Mexico, visited Costa Rica and the CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) campus in Turrialba to explore strategies for adding value to coffee from that state in national and international markets, following the Central American country's model. 

The delegation was led by Luis Pedrero González, Secretary of Economy and Labor, who was accompanied by Roberto Borges, Director of Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Promotion, Gustavo Solís, Technical Secretary, Geovani Rosales, Private Secretary, and Dietter Aggeler, Advisor and Director of Roasters & Warehousing Trading Co.

During the tour, they learned about advances in coffee innovation and development by visiting facilities specializing in research and applied technology to improve coffee genetics, productivity, sustainability, and quality, including the International Coffee Collection and CATIE's Biotechnology Laboratory. They also visited the Graduate School and learned about the work of the Coffee Genetic Improvement Program and the development of F1 hybrids.

"This meeting was made possible thanks to the valuable intervention of the president of the Chiapas State Congress, Deputy Alejandra Gómez Mendoza, and served to generate spaces for dialogue between CATIE researchers and representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Labor to promote actions that favor the competitiveness and sustainability of the coffee sector in the State of Chiapas," said Dr. Rolando Cerda, leader of CATIE's Agroforestry and Genetic Improvement of Coffee and Cacao Unit.

During their stay in Costa Rica, the delegation visited the facilities of the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (Icafe) and the Aquiares coffee farm. These meetings addressed topics such as the impact of roasting, flavor profiles and tasting, and communicating the added value of coffee.

Through education, research, and cooperation with governments and the private sector, CATIE has established itself as a leader in promoting innovative, sustainable, and climate-resilient coffee farming in Latin America and the Caribbean.